“Now listen to me, you rascals,” he said, with withering scorn, as his eyes bored through the discomfited conspirators. “What you’ve got to-night isn’t a circumstance to what’s coming to you if you ever dare to lift a finger against me again. I could have every one of you arrested and put behind bars for years to come if I wanted to, but I prefer to settle my own quarrels. But just one more move on your part, and you’ll go where the dogs won’t bite you for a while.
“As for you, Iredell,” he continued, in a slightly gentler tone, addressing his teammate who was now sitting up on the floor, still half dazed, “I could have you fired off the team in disgrace and blacklisted forever, if I told McRae of this dirty work of yours. But I remember that you have a family and that you’ve played on the same team with me for years, and I’m going to give you one more chance. No one will hear of this if you go straight from now on. Cut out these dogs of companions and play the game like a man.
“Come along, Jim,” he concluded, “I guess our night’s work is done. We’ll leave the snake’s head behind as a souvenir.”
The night’s work was indeed done, and done so effectively that Joe suffered no more trouble from the precious trio. As for Iredell, the lesson had been sufficient, and while there never was a resumption of the cordial relations of previous years, he gave no further cause for complaint. At the end of the season he was traded, as young Renton had filled his place so well that the Giants could do without him.
The Giants “cleaned up” in Pittsburgh, and did so well with the other teams that the last day of the season found them tied with Chicago for the lead. The Cubs had played out all their games. The Giants still had one to play with Brooklyn. If they won, they would have the pennant. If they lost, the flag would go to Chicago.
[CHAPTER XXX]
THE FINAL BATTLE
The game was to be played on the Polo Grounds, and excitement was at fever heat. It seemed as though the whole male population of Greater New York had determined to see that game. Men waited in line all night, and from early morning the surface cars and elevated trains were packed with people going to the grounds.
The weather was fair, and the lovers of the game had a day that was all that could be desired. The turf had been rolled and groomed till it looked like green velvet.